Preparation of 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate

ABSTRACT

1. A method for the preparation of 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate which comprises reacting methyl benzilate with 3-quinuclidinol in an inert anhydrous aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent in the presence of 7-15 molar percent of metallic sodium based on the methyl benzilate.

United States Patent [191 Miller et al.

[451 Aug. 12, 1975 [73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC.

[22] Filed: Mar. 26, 1962 [21] App]. No.: 183,337

. [52] US. Cl 260/293.53; 260/2943 [51] Int. CL C07D 211/00 [58] Field of Search 260/2943, 293.53

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,843,593 7/l958 Farkas et a]. 260/2943 Primary ExaminerLeland A. Sebastian Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Nathan Edelberg; Robert P. Gibson; Robert W. Church ABSTRACT I. A method for the preparation of 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate which comprises reacting methyl benzilate with 3-quinuclidinol in an inert anhydrous aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent in the presence of 7-15 molar percent of metallic sodium based on the methyl benzilate.

5 Claims, No Drawings PREPARATION OF 3-QUINACLIDINYL BENZILATE The invention described herein may be manufac- EXAMPLE l "into a 500 ml." round bottom three-neck flask 'e quippedfwith a modified Dean-Stark water separator.

a droppin'g funnel, a l-lershberg stirrer and a thermome- "Hurshhcrg stirrer '(ilnns hludc stirrer tured and used by or for the Government of the United 5 t l were added. in Order. yl benzilate g-. States of America for governmental purposes without 0.08 moles), 3 -quinuclidin ol (10.7 g., 0.084 moles), sothe payment to us of any royalty thereon. dium dried n-heptane (300 ml.), and small lumps of This invention relates to a new and improved method metallic sodium (0.13 g., 0.0057 g. atoms). All openof manufacturing the compound 3-quinuclidinyl benziin'gs to the tmosphere were protected by drying tubes late. filled with a layer of dehydrated silica gel or Drierite This compound is also known by the systematic name (i.e., anhydrous calcium sulfate and a layer of sodium 3-benziloyloxy-l-azabicyclo [2.2.21-octane. lt is dishydroxide pellets. The vigorously stirred reaction mixclosed and claimed in the patent to Sternbach U.S. Pat. ture was heated to reflux in an oil bath. At about the No. 2,648,667. The patent to Farkas et al U.S. Pat. No. l 5 time the n-heptane meth n l azeotrope tarted to dis- 2,843,593 discloses an improved proce f th till. practically all of the reactants had dissolved. The ration of this compound. azeotrope was collected as it distilled. After minutes The present invention is a further improvement in the of reflux time, 13 y of methanol was production of this compound. We have found that concollected. After approximately 30 minutes, 2.2 ml. of trary to the teachings of the above Farkas et al. patent the methanol was collected and the white solid product only a catalytic amount of metallic sodium is required began to precipitate. The Dean-Stark separator was and that the reaction proceeds smoothly and gives a then permitted to fill and most of the distillate was alhigher yield ofa high purity product when the reactants low to return to the re i n flask- Th zeotrope are reacted in a single stage process rather than the was removed slowly from the Dean-Stark apparatus at two-stage process of the prior art. a rate of about 0.15 ml. per minute. During the reaction The present invention consists of reacting in an inert period, the volume of the mixture was kept constant by anhydrous hydrocarbon solvent one mole equivalent of the addition of n-heptane from the dropping funnel. A methyl benzilate with 5-l0 mole per cent excess 3- total of approximately 50 ml. of distillate was removed. quinuclidinol in the presence of 7 to 15 mole per cent After4 hours, the reaction was stopped and the mixof metallic sodium based on the methyl benzilate. The ture was cooled to 20C. As far as it could be detertransesterification reaction occurs as the vigorously mined, the theoretical quantity of methanol was colstirred reaction mixture is heated slowly to reflux and lected. The white crystalline solid product was colrefluxed for a period of 2.5 to 24 hours. lected on a Buchner funnel, washed thoroughly with We have further found that the use of about 5 molar several 20 ml. portions of water, dried in vacuo over per cent excess of 3-quinuclidinol with 7 8 mole per phosphorus pentoxide. The dry product (25.3 gm., cent metallic sodium (based on the amount of methyl 94% yield based on methyl benzilate) melted at benzilate used) in normal heptane gives the best results l63-l 66C, amine content 100.4%, purity 99%. for this reaction. Analysis: calculated for C H NO C, 74.75; H, This process has important advantages over the prior 6.87; O, 14.25. Found, C, 74.9; H, 7.0; O, l4.0l. art in that it is a single stage reaction and therefore no in the foregoing manner, the examples shown in elaborate equipment is needed. Likewise, the 3- Table l were carried out.

TABLE I Example methyl (MB) 3-quinuclicinol sodium Reaction Yic Purity amine M.P. benzilate g. (moles) ('71. excess) g. (atoms) time Hrs. (70) (70) content (C) g. (moles) based on MB) 2" 9.7 (0.04) 5.3 (0.042) 5) 0.07 (.003) 7.5) 2.5 94 97.2 l63-l65 3" l9 4 (0.08) l0.7 (0.084) 5) 0.15 (0.0065) li.l) 5 95 95 97.8 l63-l66 4" 9.7 (0.04) 5.3 (0.042) 5) 0.08 (0.0035) 8.7) 8 86.2 95 N/A l64-l66 5" 9.7 (0.04) 5.3 (0.042) 5) 0.07 (0.003) 7.5) 20 83 N/A l59-l63 6" 9.7 (0.04) 5.5 (0.044) (l0) 0.07 (0.003) 7.5) 20 87 89 N/A l63-l65 7" 4.8 (0.02) 2.8 (0.022) 10) 0.07 (.003) (15-0) 24 73 94 N/A l63-l65 ii 4.8 (0.02) 2.7 (0.02l) 5) 0.05 (0.0022) (ll) lo 81 89 100.4 lbl-l64 For the purpose of this invention, we consider any amount of sodium substantially less than an equivalent amount to be a catalytic amount. Therefore, the range from 7==15 per cent sodium is considered by us to be definitely a catalytic amount.

We claim:

1. A method for the preparation of 3=quinuclidinyl benzilate which comprises reacting methyl benzilate 7 with 3 quinuclidinol in an inert anhydrous aliphatic hy= drocarbon solvent in the presence of 7=15 molar per cent of metallic sodium based on the methyl benzilate.

benzilate which comprises reacting methyl benzilate with 5 molar per cent excess of 3-quinuclidinol in an anhydrous liquid all-cane solvent in the presence of an amount of 7-8 mole per cent of metallic sodium based on theamount of methyl benzilate.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 in which the alkane solvent is normal heptane. 

1. A METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF 3-QUINUCLIDINYL BENZILATE WHICH COMPRISES REACTING METHYL BENZILATE WITH 3-QUINUCLIDINOL IN AN INERT ANHYDROUS ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBON SOLVENT IN THE PRESENCE OF 7-15 MOLAR PERCENT OF METALLIC SODIUM BASED ON THE METHYL BENZILATE.
 2. A method for the preparation of 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate which comprises reacting methyl benzilate with a 5-10 per cent molar excess of 3-quinuclidinol in an inert anhydrous aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent in the presence of 7-15 molar percent of metallic sodium based on the methyl benzilate.
 3. A method as set forth in claim 2 in which the hydrocarbon solvent is normal heptane.
 4. A method for the preparation of 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate which comprises reacting methyl benzilate with 5 molar per cEnt excess of 3-quinuclidinol in an anhydrous liquid alkane solvent in the presence of an amount of 7-8 mole per cent of metallic sodium based on the amount of methyl benzilate.
 5. A method as set forth in claim 4 in which the alkane solvent is normal heptane. 